US9130611B2ActiveUtilityA1

Method of using zoning map for beam searching, tracking and refinement

62
Assignee: JIA ZHANFENGPriority: Aug 17, 2012Filed: Aug 17, 2012Granted: Sep 8, 2015
Est. expiryAug 17, 2032(~6.1 yrs left)· nominal 20-yr term from priority
Inventors:Zhanfeng Jia
H04B 7/06952H01Q 21/061H01Q 3/30H01Q 1/007H04B 7/0686H04B 7/0617H04B 7/0408H04B 7/0695
62
PatentIndex Score
1
Cited by
10
References
35
Claims

Abstract

The disclosure is directed to a wireless communications device. In an embodiment, the wireless communications device comprises a phased antenna array comprising a plurality of antennas, a transceiver operatively coupled to the phased antenna array and configured to control the plurality of antennas and an antenna weight vector (AWV), a memory storing a spherical zoning map, and a beam controller configured to control the transceiver by setting the AWV for each antenna of the plurality of antennas.

Claims

exact text as granted — not AI-modified
What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A wireless communications device, comprising:
 a phased antenna array comprising a plurality of antennas; 
 a transceiver operatively coupled to the phased antenna array and configured to control the plurality of antennas and an antenna weight vector (AWV); 
 a memory storing a spherical zoning map; and 
 a beam controller configured to control the transceiver by setting the AWV for each antenna of the plurality of antennas. 
 
     
     
       2. The wireless communications device of  claim 1 , wherein the beam controller is further configured to determine the AWV for a plurality of beams. 
     
     
       3. The wireless communications device of  claim 2 , wherein the beam controller determines the AWV for the plurality of beams by:
 determining a total number of beams to correspond to a total number of zones; 
 setting a beam number based on a zone number; and 
 calculating an AWV based on the zone number, wherein the AWV is defined by a canonical weight function of the zone number. 
 
     
     
       4. The wireless communications device of  claim 1 , wherein the beam controller is further configured to:
 determine that a coordinate system alignment of the phased antenna array is different than a coordinate system alignment of a receiver device; and 
 compensate for the difference in coordinate system alignment by rotating zone numbers of the spherical zoning map. 
 
     
     
       5. The wireless communications device of  claim 1 , wherein a canonical weight function for a zone (b x , b y ) Bx×By  is: 
       
         
           
             
               
                 
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                             ⁢ 
                             
                                 
                             
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                             ⁢ 
                             
                                 
                             
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                                   + 
                                   
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                             ⁢ 
                             
                                 
                             
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         where b x  represents a zone number along an x-axis, b y  represents a zone number along a y-axis, B x  represents a total number of zones along the x-axis, B y  represents a total number of zones along the y-axis, m x  represents a beam along the x-axis, m y  represents a beam along the y-axis, and R is the radius of a beam. 
       
     
     
       6. The wireless communications device of  claim 1 , wherein the spherical zoning map comprises a two-dimensional representation of a unit sphere, where an x-axis and a y-axis of the unit sphere are divided into a set of numbered, non-overlapping zones. 
     
     
       7. The wireless communications device of  claim 1 , wherein a zoning configuration of a total number of zones is a one-dimensional or two-dimensional array. 
     
     
       8. The wireless communications device of  claim 7 , wherein the zoning configuration of the total number of zones is one of 4×1, 4×4, 8×1, or 8×8. 
     
     
       9. The wireless communication device of  claim 1 , wherein a zoning configuration of a total number of zones is a hexagonally-shaped two-dimensional array. 
     
     
       10. The wireless communications device of  claim 1 , wherein the beam controller is further configured to:
 conduct a sector sweep using a total number of beams corresponding to a total number of zones. 
 
     
     
       11. The wireless communications device of  claim 1 , wherein the beam controller is further configured to:
 detect a misalignment based on a loss of gain; and 
 search a plurality of neighbor beams to detect an improved alignment. 
 
     
     
       12. The wireless communications device of  claim 1 , wherein the zoning map is a first zoning map, the wireless communications device further comprising:
 a second zoning map stored in the memory; and 
 a second plurality of beams. 
 
     
     
       13. The wireless communications device of  claim 12 , wherein a total number of zones of the second zoning map is greater than a total number of zones of the first zoning map. 
     
     
       14. The wireless communications device of  claim 12 , wherein the beam controller is further configured to:
 set the AWV based on the second zoning map. 
 
     
     
       15. The wireless communications device of  claim 12 , wherein the second plurality of beams are configured for beam refinement. 
     
     
       16. The wireless communications device of  claim 1 , wherein the phased antenna array is a 60Ghz phased antenna array. 
     
     
       17. A method of wireless communication, comprising:
 determining an antenna weight vector (AWV); 
 storing a spherical zoning map in a memory; 
 controlling a plurality of antennas of a phased antenna array; and 
 controlling, by a beam controller, a transceiver operatively coupled to the phased antenna array by setting the AWV for each antenna of the plurality of antennas. 
 
     
     
       18. The method of  claim 17 , further comprising:
 determining, by the beam controller, the AWV for a plurality of beams. 
 
     
     
       19. The method of  claim 18 , wherein the determining the AWV for the plurality of beams comprises:
 determining a total number of beams to correspond to a total number of zones; 
 setting a beam number based on a zone number; and 
 calculating an AWV based on the zone number, wherein the AWV is defined by a canonical weight function of the zone number. 
 
     
     
       20. The method of  claim 17 , further comprising:
 determining, by the beam controller, that a coordinate system alignment of the phased antenna array is different than a coordinate system alignment of a receiver device; and 
 compensating, by the beam controller, for the difference in coordinate system alignment by rotating zone numbers of the spherical zoning map. 
 
     
     
       21. The method of  claim 17 , wherein a canonical weight function for a zone (b x , b y ) Bx×By  is: 
       
         
           
             
               
                 
                   w 
                   
                     
                       m 
                       x 
                     
                     , 
                     
                       m 
                       y 
                     
                   
                 
                 ⁡ 
                 
                   ( 
                   
                     
                       b 
                       x 
                     
                     , 
                     
                       b 
                       y 
                     
                   
                   ) 
                 
               
               = 
               
                 ⅇ 
                 
                   
                     - 
                     
                       
                         j 
                         ⁢ 
                         
                             
                         
                         ⁢ 
                         2 
                         ⁢ 
                         
                             
                         
                         ⁢ 
                         π 
                       
                       R 
                     
                   
                   · 
                   
                     round 
                     ⁡ 
                     
                       ( 
                       
                         
                           
                             
                               R 
                               · 
                               
                                 m 
                                 x 
                               
                               · 
                               
                                 ( 
                                 
                                   
                                     b 
                                     x 
                                   
                                   + 
                                   
                                     B 
                                     
                                       x 
                                       / 
                                       2 
                                     
                                   
                                 
                                 ) 
                               
                             
                             ⁢ 
                             
                                 
                             
                             ⁢ 
                             mod 
                             ⁢ 
                             
                                 
                             
                             ⁢ 
                             
                               ( 
                               
                                 B 
                                 x 
                               
                               ) 
                             
                           
                           
                             B 
                             x 
                           
                         
                         + 
                         
                           
                             
                               R 
                               · 
                               
                                 m 
                                 y 
                               
                               · 
                               
                                 ( 
                                 
                                   
                                     b 
                                     y 
                                   
                                   + 
                                   
                                     B 
                                     
                                       y 
                                       / 
                                       2 
                                     
                                   
                                 
                                 ) 
                               
                             
                             ⁢ 
                             
                                 
                             
                             ⁢ 
                             mod 
                             ⁢ 
                             
                                 
                             
                             ⁢ 
                             
                               ( 
                               
                                 B 
                                 y 
                               
                               ) 
                             
                           
                           
                             B 
                             y 
                           
                         
                       
                       ) 
                     
                   
                 
               
             
           
         
         where b x  represents a zone number along an x-axis, b y  represents a zone number along a y-axis, B x  represents a total number of zones along the x-axis, B y  represents a total number of zones along the y-axis, m x  represents a beam along the x-axis, m y  represents a beam along the y-axis, and R is the radius of a beam. 
       
     
     
       22. The method of  claim 17 , wherein the spherical zoning map comprises a two-dimensional representation of a unit sphere, where an x-axis and a y-axis of the unit sphere are divided into a set of numbered, non-overlapping zones. 
     
     
       23. The method of  claim 17 , wherein a zoning configuration of a total number of zones is a one-dimensional or two-dimensional array. 
     
     
       24. The method of  claim 23 , wherein the zoning configuration of the total number of zones is one of 4×1, 4×4, 8×1, or 8×8. 
     
     
       25. The method of  claim 17 , wherein a zoning configuration of a total number of zones is a hexagonally-shaped two-dimensional array. 
     
     
       26. The method of  claim 17 , further comprising:
 conducting, by the beam controller, a sector sweep using a total number of beams corresponding to a total number of zones. 
 
     
     
       27. The method of  claim 17 , further comprising:
 detecting, by the beam controller, a misalignment based on a loss of gain; and 
 searching, by the beam controller, a plurality of neighbor beams to detect an improved alignment. 
 
     
     
       28. The method of  claim 17 , wherein the zoning map is a first zoning map, the method further comprising:
 storing a second zoning map in the memory; and 
 establishing a second plurality of beams. 
 
     
     
       29. The method of  claim 28 , wherein a total number of zones of the second zoning map is greater than a total number of zones of the first zoning map. 
     
     
       30. The method of  claim 28 , further comprising:
 setting, by the beam controller, the AWV based on the second zoning map. 
 
     
     
       31. The method of  claim 28 , wherein the second plurality of beams are configured for beam refinement. 
     
     
       32. The method of  claim 17 , wherein the phased antenna array is a 60 Ghz phased antenna array. 
     
     
       33. A wireless communications device, comprising:
 logic configured to determine an antenna weight vector (AWV); 
 logic configured to storing a spherical zoning map in a memory; 
 logic configured to control a plurality of antennas of a phased antenna array; and 
 logic configured to control, by a beam controller, a transceiver operatively coupled to the phased antenna array by setting the AWV for each antenna of the plurality of antennas. 
 
     
     
       34. A wireless communications device, comprising:
 means for determining an antenna weight vector (AWV); 
 means for storing a spherical zoning map in a memory; 
 means for controlling a plurality of antennas of a phased antenna array; and 
 means for controlling, by a beam controller, a transceiver operatively coupled to the phased antenna array by setting the AWV for each antenna of the plurality of antennas. 
 
     
     
       35. A non-transitory computer-readable medium for wireless communications, comprising:
 at least one instruction to determine an antenna weight vector (AWV); 
 at least one instruction to storing a spherical zoning map in a memory; 
 at least one instruction to control a plurality of antennas of a phased antenna array; and 
 at least one instruction to control, by a beam controller, a transceiver operatively coupled to the phased antenna array by setting the AWV for each antenna of the plurality of antennas.

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